Office



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. W. HALL.

ELBOTRIGRAILROAD SIGNAL APPARATUS. No. 301,361.

(No Model.)

Patented July 1, 1884 INVENTOR Mwfix W. M1.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS (No Modem 3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

A. W. HALL.

ELECTRIC RAILROAD SIGNAL APPARATUS. N0. 301,361. Patented July 1, 1884.

k'k'wwwa lvwemmv Aww. W2 A K m M (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A. W. HALL.

ELECTRIC RAILROAD SIGNAL APPARATUS.

No. 801,361. Patented July 1, 1884.

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ALVAI-I XV. HALL, OF MERIDEN, CON N ECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE I-IALL RAIL- WVAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC RAILROAD-SIGNAL APPARATUS.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 301,361, dated July 1, 188%.

' Application filed May 528, 1893. (N model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVAII WV. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Heriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Counecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Railroad-Signal Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a railroad-signal 1:) apparatus in which the signals are held out of sight, or in a position indicating safety, by the action of elcctro-niagnets, while said signals drop in sight, or to a position indicating danger, by their own gravity, whenever I 5 their electro magnets are not vitalized. The

peculiar and novel construction of my apparatus is pointed out in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying draw ings, in which Figure 1 represents a diagram showingthe connection of the various parts. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the double-circuit instrument which forms an essential part of my new apparatus. Fig. 3 is a side View of the same. Fig. at is a plan or top view of one of the trackinstruments. Fig. 5 is a sectional side view of the same. Fig. 6 is a front view of one of the signals.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

The double-circuit instrument used is illustrated in detail in Figs. 2 and 3, consisting, as there shown, of the main magnet m and locking-magnet a. Vhenever the circuit through the locking-magnet e is closed, so that it is vitalized or charged, attracting its armature 0, its armature locks the armature m of the main magnet m, preventing its movement, retaining it (121) in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in which respect this doublecircuit 4o apparatus differs from that hitherto used. The arinature-lever m connects with a rod, m which carries a tappet, or, that acts upon a spring,f, and closes the same whenever the main magnet is vitalized, and this spring remains closed as long as the armature-lever m is locked by the armature lever c of the lockingmagnet. With the two magnets on c is com bined an additional magnet, j, which is in the circuit of the main magnet in. The armature lever j of the additional magnet is connected with a'rod, jfiwhich carries a tappet, j, that acts on a circuit-closing spring, g, so as to close the same. I lit Fig. 1, the letter A designates the railroadtrack. B and E are signals. D and G are 5 5 track-instruments, and X. X are batteries.

The track-instruments, Figs. 4 andl5, con sist of track-levers T, which, when their free ends are depressed by the wheels of a passing train or otherwise, act upon a rod, twhich carries a piston, t, moving in an air-cylinder, 1F, and the upper tapering end of said rod acts upon circuit-closing springs c d, Fig. 5, so that the spring 0 is opened and the spring (I is closed. The cylinder 16 forms an air-cushion which retards the downward motion of the rod 1, so that the spring 0 is held open and the spring (1 is held closed for a short period of time after the wheels have passed the tracklever. WVith each of the signals, except the first in the line, is combined a circuit-closing spring, k,which is closed by a cam, k, mounted 0n the pin 76", which formsthe axis of-the signal, said cam being in such a position that it depresses and closes the spring when the signal is down in its position of danger. (See Fig. 6.)

In their normal position the signals E show safety, and the circuits through the springs c c of the track-instruments D G are closed. 80 If the train which moves in the direction of arrow 1 reaches the track-instrument D, Fig. 1, the spring 0 is opened and the circuit through wire 10, electro-magnet e,wire 11, spring f,wire 12, signal-magnet h, wire 13, spring c,wire 14, and ground, back to battery X, is broken, the signal B drops down to danger, and the train in the section is protected against a following train. At the same time,the circuit through the locking-magnet c is broken, the armature ofthe main magnet or falls back, and the spring f opens. The signal 13 cannot be raised to safety until the springf is again-closed, as will be presently explained. As the train proceeds and reaches the track-instrument G the as rin 0 is o ened and the s rin d is closed.

P o P P a By opening the spring 0 the circuit through the signal-magnet 7b is broken and the signal E drops down to danger, and as it drops the cam 7a, Fig. 6, on the signalshaft closes the spring is, and since the spring (1 is held closed as long as the train passes over the track-instruinent, and a little longer,by the air-cushion, as previously stated, a circuit is closed from battery X, through wires 15, main magnet m, wire 16, additional magnet j,wire 17, spring k, wire 18, spring d,wire 19, to ground G and through ground G and wire back to battery X, the armature of main magnet on is attracted, spring f is closed, and a circuit is closed from battery X, through wire 10, locking-magnet e,wire l1,springf,wire12, signalmagnet h,wire 123, spring c,wire14, to ground I), thence through ground G andwire 20 back to the battery; but at the same time, by the circuit through spring 75 and wire 17, above named, the additional magnet j is vitalized and the spring 9 is closed, and a short circuit is closed,from battery X, through wire 10,1ocking-magnet e,wire 11,spring f,wire 22, spring g,wire 21, to ground thence through G iand wire 20 back to the battery, and as long as this short circuit remains closed the signal B remains at danger, while the locking-magnet is vitali'zed and the armature of the main magnet m is locked, so as to retain the spring f in its. closed position. The short circuit above named is kept closed as long as'the wheels of the passing train act upon the track-instrument G, and it is not opened before the spring (1 opens. When this spring opens, the circuit through additional magnet j is broken, the spring 9 opens, the short circuit is broken, and the circuit through signal-magnet h raises the signal B to safety. The signal B, therefore, will not be raised to safety until the train has passed clear out of the section. As the train passes the track-instrument G the spring c is opened and the signal E drops to danger, so as to protect the train until it passes the next succeeding track-instrument. What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of the locking-magnet e, the

main magnet m, the springf, actuated by the armature of main magnet, the signals B E, the si gnal-magnets h h, the spring 7c, actuated by the signal-magnet, and the springs c c d, actuated by the wheels of a passing train, and the batteries X X and circuit-connections, as described.

2. The combination of the magnet -e, constructed to lock the armature of the main magnet, (when it is vitalized,)the main magnet m, the additional magnet j, the springs f and g, and the circuitconnections therefor, as set forth, the main and additional magnets being situated in the-same circuit, all as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of the circuit-breaking spring a, actuated by the wheels of a passing train, the signal-magnet h and its signal B, the magnet m, the spring f, actuated by the armature of the main magnet, the locking-magnet e, an additional circuit-closer, the circuit-connectionsthrough 6 and m, and the battery X, said locking-magnet and spring f being in the circuit of the signal-magnet.

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of the additional magnet j, the spring 9, actuated by the armature of said additional magnet, the main magnet m, the spring f, actuated by the armature of the main magnet, the spring is, actuated by the signal E, the spring (2, actuated by the wheels of a passin g train, the battery X, and the shunt and signal circuits, as described, the main magnet, the additional magnet and the, springs k d forming parts of the same circuit. 7

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seaLin the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALVAH W. HALL. [L. s.] Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, E. F. KASTENHUBER. 

